1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a new and improved solar energy collector panel adapted to collect solar radiation for heating fluids such as water, air, ethylene glycol, etc. As natural gas and petroleum reserves become scarcer, more attention is being directed toward extracting heat energy in useable form from solar radiation. Even in the Northern latitudes of this country where a greater number of overcast days occur in comparison to the Southern and Southwestern sections, there is considerable solar energy available for collection if highly efficient solar energy collecting panels are used.
2. Description of the Prior Art
One of the problems with solar collecting panels is the relatively high cost for each BTU of energy derived. Gradually, costs have been reduced as more efficient designs and processes have been developed. Many prior art solar energy panels utilize a flat sheet of heat absorbent metal to which are attached fluid conduit tubes. The tubes are normally attached by welding, brazing or mechanical means. Panels made this way suffer a loss of efficiency because of resistance to heat flow through the sheet to the tubes and through the joints between the sheet and the tubes. In addition, hot areas develop which cause losses because of more re-radiation of some of the energy received from these hotter areas. Other panels utilize finned tubing which is laid out in a pattern with elongated parallel runs supported on a backing board. A wide variety of bubble plate or expanded plate type solar collectors are common. Most of these prior art devices suffer from low efficiency, relatively high cost per unit output of heat derived per square foot of collector area. More over, installation of these units is difficult and costly because they require job constructed structural supports and job assembled external piping and pipe insulation.